The Mantle
by FlashDriver
Summary: A story based around Blaze's beta design in which she wore a cape to smother her flames, it recounts her and Silver's meeting as children and the formation of their partnership long before the events of Sonic 06. Can be read as building toward Silvaze though it is not a blatant element of the story. Please enjoy!
1. Angel and Demon

Blaze had been running for so long that day; she'd been chased into the depths of hell and found herself lost within the city walls. Thinking herself safe, well not safe but safe enough, she dropped from her standing position, back against an alleyway wall and huddled in the shade of a towering dumpster. Her arms were crossed over her chest, forming an X as she clung to her shoulders and pushed the fabric of her mantle tight against her body; the smothering blanket that kept her curse at bay. Despite this the sound of crackling flames surrounded her, the ones that hounded her had never chased her this deep into the city and thus she had no idea where she was or where to go. She was shaking, both from a welt forming on her cheek where a thrown rock had struck her and the hunger the wracked her body. The young cat had finally found food again only for it to be taken by those people.

She never looked them in the eye when they came for her, she'd always just lower her head and endure or run; they'd hurt her so badly before but she always seemed to survive. They'd call her a demon and a monster, say that she was no different from the other creatures that stalked the streets; the flames were the origin of their rage and she couldn't find the will to fault them for that. More often than not she found herself agreeing with them. Their world was burning, monsters they could never fight were destroying their home; she was the weakest of those burning demons and thus it was only natural that they unleash their hatred on her. As far as she was concerned she was one of the demons, she was one of the monsters that stalked the streets opportunistically preying on the failure of others; albeit their failure to protect their food rather than misstep into her territory… she didn't have territory, they'd forced her from her home too many times to count.

The kitten had almost caught her breath, still clinging the muffling mantle taught against her back. Her clothes were dirtied and torn but they were of good quality, Blaze was garbed in a long purple jacket and white tights, but the mantle she wore over it all was the only piece that truly mattered to her. The cloth was thick and, unlike her other clothes, untouched by charring flames of this place; it reached down to her waist and thus enveloped her entire upper half, a divider between her and the outside world. It was coloured white with trimmings of magenta at its edge as well as tracing up to her neck, where it could be split and freed from her shoulders as it so very rarely was.

Demons came in many shapes and sizes, taking forms like a hound or a bird to better hunt their prey. She'd had her parents taken from her by one of those monsters, the largest she'd ever seen; with four giant arms and piercing green eyes, it'd stood taller than their home and shattered it without even thought. She knew very little of the monsters that stalked this city outside the name Iblis and that they were its spawn, as the people called both them and her. Those monsters could kill people and thus so could she, that was why she clung to her cloak for dear life; killing them would be the final step in her dissension to becoming a true devil. Without this blanket smothering the fire she doubted she could hold it back. When they pestered her, when they made her want to cry, fire would rumble beneath her shawl and try to burst free; it was as though the flames wanted to kill everyone and everything around her. If she was calm she could control them but she dared not remove the cape to unleash them lest they somehow overtook her. Blaze cherished that cloak more than anything, not that she had anything else to cherish; it gave her all the trappings of a person. She didn't think of the fire as part of herself, rather a sadistic curse bound to her by whatever uncaring force had imprisoned her here; a scar that took the form of three crooked lines along her back and the burden of maintaining a cool head in a place so unforgiving.

Her shaking ceased, her creased brow lightened and her glowing eyes slowly opened. She had risen and taken the first step out of the alleyway, poking her nose out to survey the burning street, when she heard the pounding of footsteps. Immediately she threw herself back against the wall, clinging to the shadow of the dumpster and bracing herself where the wall cornered with it; hands still grasping at her shawl. The footsteps grew louder but she could only identify one set, the heavy footfall of boots coming from behind her… and above her. She threw her eyes to thin skyline between the alleyway and almost on cue heard a voice; "Alright! I can do this!" There was a sound she could only compare to a deep inhale and an explosive exhale but in truth, it sounded nothing like that; it was high pitched hum far louder than any breath could be. This sound completed she watched as a white frame hovered overhead; drifting deeper into the city. Her eyes refused to leave them; their shape was committed fully to memory.

Blaze was watching an angel soar over hell, a figure cloaked in a shinning colour she'd never seen before in this world of black, red and grey; there was something so mysterious about it, so alien or even… wonderful. She peeled herself away from the walls and took two steps forward, her eyes locked to them as they drifted across the sky; her hands left her shoulders and her mouth opened only to clamp shut. She faltered at the shadow's edge. She couldn't take another step; she couldn't bring herself to call out to them. Blaze could only watch their back as they flew across that dark grey sky, eventually vanishing behind the skyline. That form had created light while she sulked in shadows, they'd soared through the air while she hid and while she wallowed in the filth; their glowing form looked entirely untouched by the evils of this world. Her eyes lowered to the ground, other demons from the city were charging after the figure; smashing through rubble in a stampeding chase.

She threw herself back against the wall and slowly sank down it, her fingers dug back into her shoulders. Blaze pulled her legs to her chest and began to shake once more, there was an angel in this hell and she was a demon. They were just someone else to fear.


	2. Observing

Blaze found herself deep in the city, this time not driven there by the bullies who harassed her but by the inability to find supplies around its edge. She had no idea when civilisation had crumbled but food was running out, granted it had always been scarce but she knew it would keep growing rarer. Having found a relatively untouched supermarket in the city's heart, though naturally most of its products had rotted away and many items had been thrown from their shelves by monster attacks, she knew that dried legumes and preserved foods were relatively safe; albeit she'd always overcook her meals for safety's sake. A bag was slung over her shoulders, filled with nuts, beans and a can of soup she'd decided wasn't too rust coated; she'd snuck her way out of the store and was beginning the return trek to her makeshift home. The cat's ears pricked high and her eyes widened to aid in the avoidance of both her fellow demons and people. The crackling of flames was a constant white noise, smothering both her footsteps and those of others, but the slightest sound over it would prompt an immediate response.

She was hunched low and creeping from wall to wall, the years had taught her well; the closer she was to undetectable the better her chances of survival were… making it all the more jarring when she heard shouting up ahead. The kitten scarcely recalled last time she'd delved this far into the city, it'd been months ago, but she remembered watching a figure masked in a bizarre colour soar across the sky. Blaze couldn't recall what he'd said that day but she knew that was his voice, her breathing hitched and she came to a sudden stop; flattening herself against exposed brickwork. Looking ahead she would have to cross a road, the very road that voice had been emanating from. She couldn't see the figure nor could she make out their words… but they were certainly shouting a lot. Blaze cast her gaze back along the path she'd travelled; taking another route was likely possible however this was the path she'd taken in the first place, traversing the city was dangerous enough when you knew where you were going let alone when you didn't. Her hands crossed over her shoulders, pulling the mantle tight to her back, she'd began to edge her way forward only to freeze as a pack of three Iblis hounds rushed down the street before her; gnashing their flaming maws in the voice's direction.

Now closer, or perhaps it was because they'd shouted even louder, Blaze could make out their words. "Come on then! I can beat you! Take this!" She heard that sound she'd heard once before, like a high-pitched whir, before something crashed and the beasts squealed. A loud, tumbling, banging followed it; not a second after hearing it the source streaked in front of her, a car had tumbled passed. Caught up in the dented and bent mass of metal was those three Iblis creatures, their bodies beaten and broken; it'd been coated in teal, that same colour she'd seen cloak his body on that day. As the vehicle came to a grinding halt, metal screeching against tarmac, she heard the voice shout again. "Don't interrupt my training just to waste my time! I need to beat bigger monsters than you!" Blaze's grip tightened further, her body began to quake; she could defeat the hounds herself but… that was a show of force unlike any Blaze had ever seen from a person. Truly this angel was terrifying. Her eyes clenched shut, she felt her back press into the wall; whatever that weird light was it was powerful, not only did it let them fly but throw cars?

In the wake of their voice she heard the whirring start once more, her ears had better attuned to his location, he couldn't be too far away, but quite how far was unclear; she had no idea how loud the bizarre noise was and regardless it wasn't consistent. Her eyes slowly cracked open, she managed to lower her hands from her shoulders; taking deep breaths she proceeded to the wall's edge. At the corner, heart beating over the flames and only being interrupted by that figure's voice, between whirs Blaze could hear the sounds of objects colliding with stonework, often followed by another shout. She held her breath, first throwing a glance to where the car had been thrown; it must have been damaged before but now the roof had sunken into the seating and among the wreckage the three hounds were rapidly liquifying. Sighting no threats on that side she turned and once again her eyes fell upon the floating blue-green figure.

They were close, couldn't be further than fifty metres away, but their back was to her while their eyes were thrown to the darkly clouded sky above. A cyan coated vortex of debris, ranging from broken car parts to chunks of the tarmac, obscured their form. Blaze heard a growl, the angel threw a hand into the air and with it the rubble began to cascade into the sky as though gravity had somehow been reversed. For the first time she watched the angel descended to the earth, dropping like a stone but landing upright; the light was no longer upon him. Blaze didn't even think to look at the rubble as she took in his clear form. He was silver, no, grey; his fur was the colour grey. Strange spikes jutted out of his head, two long ones from the back while five stood straight at the front; a band of fur ran around his neck and flared at his nape.

While these aspects caught her attention none did more than two, the first was simply his height; the angel was much shorter than she thought. She'd assumed him to be a full grown adult but at this distance, and without his aura, she could tell he clearly wasn't. The second was his hands, as he raised them at his sides she saw heavy looking golden bangles on both of his wrists; a strip of cyan running down their centre, and passed them she saw marks on his hands which glowed with the same colouration. Marks on his hands… the scars on her back, she was pulled from her thoughts by a sudden burst of cyan light; looking up to the objects he'd thrown she realised that they were tumbling back toward him.

He remained grounded; there was a determination in his voice. "If I'm too weak I can't fix this world! If I can't catch this then I can't bring peace!" Energy flared around those hands expanding from them to encompass his body, those spikes on his head stiffened, before beginning to escape from his body in wisps. "I'm going to make things better! I have to!" Blaze blinked at his words; almost unconsciously she took a step out from the alleyway, the idea of wanting to fix… did he not understand the situation they were in? Did he not understand how ruined this world was? Did he know where to start?

Once again she was pulled from her thoughts; energy seemed to vanish from his body, the first of the debris were almost upon him, his fists closed and he brought his hands together; a flare of cyan light exploded from the symbols and suddenly the falling objects halted. They were glowing with that same light. At least… most of them were. Above the whirring of his power Blaze could hear something clattering, her eyes upon the floating mass she could see a cinderblock cracking more and more as it bounced and slipped through the cracks between the frozen rubble cascade. The angel seemed to notice too, screaming out; "No! No! I thought-

What remained of the block, a grey stone the size of a man's fist, broke free and struck him in the head; the smack rang out over the crackling of flames and the whirring of his own energy. He stumbled for a moment, his hands dropped and the hue faded; with that the rubble began to fall. It was at this that Blaze took two quick steps toward him, catching herself just in time to watch as his hands were thrown back to the sky and the garbage froze mere inches from his palms. Blaze, far too exposed for her liking and much too wary to approach him having observed his strength, turned and bolted to the other side of the road; vanishing into another alleyway and rushing to put a good distance between the two of them. She wouldn't look back down that street but every so often she'd toss a glance over her shoulder and along the alleyway, scanning for a spec of that light or one of those quills… but neither caught her eye.

Eventually, she managed to slow herself, returning to the shadows of alleyways and muffling her footfalls. Senses heightened, she tried to forget the encounter and focus on her journey; following her dash she wasn't far from her abode, but the words he'd said and the way he'd acted refused to leave Blaze's mind. There was something baffling, bordering on enraging, about the lack of wisdom he'd been showing and how through her fear it had been transferred to her. Everything Blaze had learned almost seemed mirrored in his actions, she'd remain silent to avoid conflict while he'd shout aloud and embrace it? Blaze just wanted to eat and live another day while he wanted to make a better world? He was a child like her; he'd been raised in this city hadn't he? Was he really so unwise? But at the same time her thoughts wandered to those symbols on his hands and the marks on her back, they weren't quite the same but were they similar? Was he cursed too? How did he deal with people? He had used his power so openly and been capable of such an unbelievable feat, throwing a car on a whim and almost stopping a hailstorm of rubble he'd thrown himself. Could she...

Blaze shook the thoughts from her head, she'd arrived at her home but… she felt she'd hardly been stealthy. Soon she'd have to uproot and find a new place to live, she couldn't risk being caught while she slept. She pulled her mantle taught against her body, rucksack rubbing against the mark on her back, and tried to smother her thoughts about this grey, glowing, pointy, angel person who was around her height. She scanned her surroundings, making triply sure she hadn't been followed, before vanishing into her dwelling.


	3. First Encounter

Her footfalls were rapid and her breathing laboured, she knew she could outpace her pursuers but not for how long. This was the deepest they'd ever chased her, insults and lobbed objects glanced off of her back or missed entirely; stinging and driving her ever faster forward. Rounding a corner she knew hiding was the best option, she'd only be out of their sight for a handful of seconds so she'd have to make the most of them. Taking in the street she found the only cover to be a decrepit cab, it looked more damaged than most but without hesitation she dropped to the ground and tumbled beneath it; the stomping of feet and shouting grew only louder, even cramped beneath the car she pulled her cloak tight against her body. It was an attempt to steel herself, keep herself from crying out, but as she did it she felt her injuries tear even wider.

The footfalls suddenly stopped, she didn't dare open her eyes as they bickered amongst themselves; she'd thought there were five of them but by the sounds of it two had left the group. Blaze held her breath, trying to ignore their voices and remain both still and silent. They were shouting so loudly, her ears pinned to her head; her body braced for the worst… but it never came. Eventually, her eyes would open, her hands would lower from her shoulders and she would find herself blissfully alone; the only sound crackling flames and her own panting. She'd take another minute to be certain but eventually, as silently as she could, Blaze would remove herself from beneath the car and scope out her surroundings. She knew the immediate street she'd come from but getting back to her house would surely prove difficult, especially if those people were making their way back. Weighing her options she looked to the street around her; it looked like it might have once been a main street with shops rather than houses but one building appeared to be relatively untouched, judging from the damage the windows on the lower floor had been boarded years ago. A library… how long had it been since she'd last seen a library? There'd been one on the east edge of town but those people had taken it as their territory. She only hesitated to triple check her surroundings before quickly, yet quietly, rushing her way up the building's giant stone steps. Despite her gentle push one of the building's two great doors squealed as it opened, fearing the sound may be heard she immediately slid herself inside; closing the door and keeping it braced shut. She listened… and listened… and listened…

"Wow…" A voice! A voice not from outside but- "You're tiny like me!"

Blaze spun on her heel; wounded back now pressed hard against the double doors. Her eyes flickered manically, searching for both the source and some other exit; the door only opened inward, she'd have to move to open it; an opening for whoever that was to attack her! The orange light of the outside flames was cascading through broken windows and holes in walls, giving the hallway she stood before considerable visibility. Junk and books were scattered across the ground, some of the tomes were stacked on the far side of the hall beside a torn blue couch; someone lived here! She'd invaded someone's home!

"Is there a monster outside? Don't worry, I'll help!" There was a sound, she knew that sound! And that voice too, that was his voice! The moment she recognised that phantom whirring a bright cyan light began to shine behind her, Blaze threw herself forward; eyes frantically searching for some other exit; the unbarred windows were high but if she really wanted she could-

Blaze dared to cast her eyes up and there the origin point of the light shone, obscuring most all of his being; the same light that cast her shadow forward rather than backward in the flame's light… he was holding the door in place, just like he had those floating debris. Blaze gripped her mantle, her eyes shut tight; there was nothing she could-

"Huh… I don't hear anything. I guess they're gone?" The blue light that cut through her eyelids suddenly faded. Something dropped in front of her, she slowly opened her eyes. The glow had left him, save for his bracers and hands, but there he stood; the angel was face to face with the demon. His face was close to hers, she had been terrified to look other people in the eye but her amber orbs didn't dare to leave his yellow ones; Blaze didn't dare look elsewhere on his face for fear the angel would smite her as it had the other demons. He'd talked of strength, of bringing peace; then she had to be his ene- "Oh wait, I've seen you before. When I was training that day, you ran passed didn't you?"

Blaze blinked in shock, the surprise granted her enough adrenaline to take a single half step back but fear still weighed heavy on her shoulders. He'd seen her that day? He'd seen her and hadn't followed? She tried to stutter out an answer, it'd been so long since she'd had to speak. Her voice came out just louder than a whisper despite the effort behind it. "Y-Y-Yes…"

"Aww, then my powers aren't a surprise! That sucks." His eyes finally broke from hers, his head angled; he seemed to be looking at her with some kind of quizzical gaze, Blaze found the will to take another step back but doing so allowed her to take in his whole person. He wasn't as she'd imagined him, those five strange points reached down to create his brow and the fur from his neck reached down to form a deep V shape on his chest but these things weren't too bizarre. No, now outside the tinting of his blue light, she was surprised by how marked his body was. Most obvious was the bruise on his cheek, where she assumed that rock had hit him no more than a month ago, but at several points, the angel's grey fur was singed black and at others, she could see cuts through the fur that were struggling to heal. He'd gotten hurt fighting the demons; he wasn't untouched by this world like she'd assumed. "Hey." Her eyes raced back to his face, his teeth were bared and his mouth curved in a manner she could only vaguely remember from her parents. A smile? "How old are you?"

The more she listened and stared the more confused she grew. Why was he asking her age? What did it matter? She only had a vague idea anyway. Still terrified, scared he was keeping her alive on a whim, she gave the best answer she could. "S-S-Se-even I-I th-th-think."

His mouth stretched even wider and with it, his bruised cheek crumpled; Blaze's breathing hitched as he thrust a hand to his chest. "I think I'm seven too! I've never met someone my age before! That's amazing! I'm so happy to meet you!" He reached out and stepped toward her but, automatically, she took a giant step backwards… there was now a space between the two of them, a gap further than either could reach. His smile did fade for a moment, his brow creasing, but that grin returned to his mouth; his eyes were closed… if she wanted to run she cou- "Don't worry. I'm going to fix this world, it's my job, so you don't have to be scared of me! I'll get stronger and make things better for everyone." Blaze's breathing hitched. It was just like he'd said before, not a hint of hesitation or uncertainty. He'd spoken in absolutes, not about what he wanted to do for this world but what he was going to do. His bright yellow eyes reopened, his hand was still outstretched to her, and for a moment she considered… well not quite taking it but touching it at least. Her guard had lowered; that was until he spoke again. "I'm Silver, what's your name?'

With just three words he'd fully renewed her fortifications. Her name would lead to the question of why, the answer to which would surely turn him against her. Blaze. She gripped her cloak tightly, pulling it taught against the wounds she'd sustained and curse mark on her back. She could lie but eventually, he'd find out, one day she'd either outgrow this cloak or she'd be cornered and forced to remove it; then he'd see her for what she truly was. Her eyes split from his, staring down at his boots; looking at him as she looked at other people, she had to be honest. There was no point in finding comfort she'd undoubtedly be forced to abandon. She gave her answer; "They… Th-They call m-me… d-d-demon."

She was shaking, ears spiked in preparation for that bizarre humming sound and muscles clenched… but it never came. Instead, he spoke; "They? Who?" Her teeth clenched, her ears lowered as she failed to muster an answer. Eventually, he continued. "Demon isn't a name, a demon is a monster that hurts other people; if you've not hurt anyone then you're not a demon. I don't think you've hurt anyone; you're too small too, just like me. You're a person, just like anyone else." She looked up to him, his eyes still shone bright but his smile had gone. In its place he wore a frown, tugging at his chest fur he spoke; left hand waving to accentuate his points. He shook his head, those spikes along his brow over exaggerating the action; "Whoever said you aren't is more of a demon than you are cause they've hurt you…" Another feeling, not fear, was welling up within her; her vision was blurring. His eyes went from frowning to wide with some sudden realisation, his right hand dropped from his chest fur; "Do you not have a real name?"

Blaze kept silent, her hands were still atop her shoulders but the shaking had stopped. Her emotions were running high, she could feel the flames trying to escape from her back; there was so much confusion coursing through her, so much fear, she felt that if she dared open her mouth again she would cry. If she cried he'd try to get closer again, she had to stay detached from him; if this began with tears then it'd end in them. She didn't want to but, brows furrowed and teeth grinding, she nodded and thus lied. She began to take deep breaths, trying to force a neutral state; calm and focused like when she travelled the streets.

"Oh… well, I can help you find one! I've read lots of books with lots of names in them, I'm sure there'll be one you like." Blaze's focus on cooling herself faltered as he did something she thought completely insane, an act that embodied a serious lack of wisdom. He turned his back to her and began to wander toward the great stack of books. The young girl's prior fear of future rejection and abuse was overtaken by shock. No teal aura held her in place, nor did it glow from him. The angel didn't even glance back at her while he walked… was he so certain he could defeat her that he didn't see the need? Or… was he foolish enough to turn his back on someone moments after meeting them, after they called themselves a demon? She dared to glance to the ground; her shadow wasn't cast in cyan, there was no hold on the door. If she wanted to leave… nothing was stopping her. Her vision raised to focus on him, bent over to read the spines of the books. "A lot of the books I like are about how things used to be, you know, before it was all destroyed? There are some really nice pictures of lakes and stuff in some of them! Did you know the sky used to be blue? I only found out a couple weeks ago, I really want to see that! Hopefully, when I fix things, it'll change back."

Blaze only knew lakes of lava, the idea of a blue sky something she'd seen depicted but never thought about, yet the joy with which he spoke of them piqued her interest. Regardless of what they were, he was passionate about them in a way she'd never seen anyone be passionate about anything, outside his certainty that'd he'd fix this world. He pulled a large book from the pile only for the entire stack to tumble one way while the target book fell the other. He bent down, lifting the book a little, only for his grasp to fail. His eyes briefly met hers, he was smiling again but pinkness had spread across his face. The expression fully perplexed her. "I know there's some purple stuff in this one, maybe we'll find something nice?" He waved his hand; the book wrapped in blue and began to hover next to him; on its front in large bold letters, it read Plant Encyclopedia. Plants? She'd read about plants, she knew roughly what they were, and her parents had used an encyclopaedia when they first taught her to read.

"There's lavender and heather and catnips and all sorts, I'm sure there'll be one you like!" As he made her way back Blaze's tight grip on her cape was beginning to reopen her cuts, she'd had an opportunity to run and she'd squandered it; she'd been too distracted by all these feelings, this angel only grew more mysterious. "Wait, catnips… you're a cat right?" She quickly nodded in response; his grin overcame the prior embarrassment. "Wow! I just noticed your tail and with the name, it clicked. So you'll be something the cat… you're so lucky; I don't really know what I am. I think I'm a hedgehog? I'm not sure… I guess I'm just Silver, that'll do." He beamed, continuing his approach with careless abandon.

This was stupid and foolish! Why was he acting like this, why was she acting like this and what was this bubbling in her chest? Why did the carelessness and innocence he projected disarm her like this? They were in hell, the world was destroyed, yet here he was reading books and shouting about fixing it… asking her name, her age and if she was a cat as though they were important… trying to help her find a name when she refused to give one. What was this Silver, how could he exist in this world? Who was this angel that couldn't identify the demon before him, even when she spelt it out to him?

She was sprung from her thoughts as he stopped in front of her, realising he'd gotten closer again she stumbled back a few more steps; his eyes seemed to go a little wide at that, the grin wavered. His glowing hands began to wave again, book bouncing in the air as he gesticulated and spoke. "I'm not going to hurt you… you know that right? I only hurt those who hurt others, like the monsters outside." He shook his head a little, fully frowning now. "I tried to talk to them but they just keep attacking me so I've got to get rid of them. I think if I do maybe things will get better. Even just a little." There was a moment of silence but soon he returned to smiling, a hand on his chest fur once again. "I'm not strong enough to beat the big ones now, but I will be soon! I won't hurt you, I won't let anyone hurt you, I want you to be safe! It's my job to help this world and you're part of it, that means I've got to help you."

Her body quaked; her tail was flicking wildly and her ears refused to stay still. Did he have to shout so often? Even if she could find the strength to talk she wouldn't be doing it half as loudly as he was, every word seemed to bolster to the conviction he held. He'd said fixing this world was his job twice now, why? Who had given him this duty? Was he really an angel, sent from someplace far away to clean out the demons; had she been right from the start? Where was the selfishness or even a sense of self-preservation? How could he turn his back on a stranger, how could he stand to be so nice? Had no one taken advantage of his kind nature? She was still shaking, lost in a maze of thoughts, when he spoke. "Do you not want to pick out a name right now?"

He wasn't smiling now but he wasn't frowning as he had been, he was leaning in a little but hadn't reached out or taken a step forward. She slowly shook her head, staring into his bright yellow eyes. If she could avoid maintaining this lie she would, she'd take the next opportunity to escape no matter how the angel confused her.

"Oh… okay, I guess we can just do it later." He pointed down and the book gently lowered, as it touched the ground the light faded from it and his symbols stopped pulsing. His face had changed again, he wasn't frowning but there was something… different in his eyes. Blaze, having been isolated for so long, was unable to read the less hyperbolic expression and as a result, took it as something to fear. It wasn't like that strange smile from earlier. Despite this, he kept talking. "There's a lot of stuff in these books I really want to see like… have you heard about the sea? Apparently, there were these giant puddles of water, like how there are the lava pits now; only they'd go on forever." The smile started to regrow on his face, "This city used to be really nice too, there were some really pretty buildings and people looked a whole lot happier than they do now. I guess that's because they were safe… right?"

Blaze's head was spinning out of control; her breaths were drawing shorted and shorter, her hands refused to leave her shoulders. Why was he asking her? She'd never been safe, she had no idea; if anything it seemed like he'd been safer than her! Her amber eyes flickered across his frame; from those piercing eyes to the wound on his cheek to the marks on his bodies to the symbols on his hands and back. He was waiting for an answer; she forced a nod through the trembling. He smiled more widely at that but… that look still lingered in his eyes, she couldn't place no matter how she tried. Unsure what else to do she forced herself to nod. His smile grew larger at that.

"You know… you don't talk much and I'm pretty sure you're still scared of me… but I'm really glad I met you today! I've not really talked to anyone for a long time and I…umm." His head quickly turned. He was looking away for no clear reason; staring at one of the bookshelves, she followed his eyes for fear there were others in here. "I-It's just that I've never met someone my age before, a-and w-w-well. D-D-Do you…" For the first time he'd stuttered, was he unsure of himself? Blaze was both intrigued and terrified. She took a step backwards only for his eyes to lock back onto hers, that strange look in his eyes was gone; that redness on his face had returned. He burst into a ramble. "Do you want to be my friend? I'll keep you safe, I'm going to get big and strong; I promise! No one will call you demon with me around! I'll just beat them up." His hands had waved with every word as if to emphasize the importance to him; "D-Do you have friends already? I'm all alone here; no one else lives here but me... I-I've just been training and reading for a while now so it's been really nice to have someone to talk to. That's why I kind of thought… w-we could be…y-y-you know, friends."

His hands seemed to catch on the air, as if they'd met some invisible barrier, before dropping to his side; his gaze fell to the ground. This was her chance, this might be her last chance; the bubbling feeling was growing only stronger. She began to take shuffling steps back, her eyes still locked upon him. Friendship? In this place? People made fragile pacts with one another, daughter turned on father before father could turn on daughter, he hardly even knew her! He didn't- "You seem really really scared, and I'm not sure if that's because of me or just being here or something else… but I'll help you! I'm going to help everyone, but you're a kid like me so I'll start with you! You're really important, we were meant to meet today; I know it! I can't save everyone yet, but I can help you! That's part of my job."

The feeling in her chest, that warm tugging, was only growing stronger; she had to sever it now before it could pull her in. She felt her back press against the wooden door, there was a creak as she pushed against it; his eyes shot up to her… finally, her hands dropped from her shoulders. He spoke up again, "Oh, do you have somewhere you need to go? I thought we-

The redness had vanished from his cheeks and for a moment that strange look entered his eyes but he shook his head, all of those spikes bouncing and waving as he did. When he finished he quickly looked away, bent over and struggling to pick up the encyclopaedia. "That's fine, hopefully I'll see you again soon! Don't be afraid to come back if you're ever in trouble, o-or just to talk. I said I'd help you and I will. Stay safe!"

Blaze didn't allow herself to hesitate, she slid along the door to the right and fumbled to reach for the left's handle; eyes still upon his shrunken frame. Eventually, she reached the handle and pried it open, just enough, and with a final nod to him she slipped through; door slamming behind her. As she stood on the library steps, reacquainted with the burning wind that ran through the streets. A different heat entirely still ebbed in her chest but, as she took in her surroundings, she knew she couldn't dwell on it. She was much too deep in the city, by now she could hardly remember the way back. She took a deep breath, gripping her shawl, but the injuries on her back still stung. With one last look to the door, she turned and began to run, making for the shadows once more.


	4. Stop! Thief!

Following her encounter with Silver Blaze had forcibly changed her movements, for three weeks she had limited her scavenging to the city's edges and had suffered greatly for it; malnutrition was taking hold of the young feline. The pain kept her from sleeping and as she wandered buildings would warp and twist around her, mistakes were becoming far too common; she'd go to jump only to find herself tumbling. Of course, by limiting herself to the city's edge, in exchange for avoiding the angel, her encounters with those people had also increased.

These factors had culminated in today's events. Unable to bear the strain she'd began the trek deeper into the city, retracing the steps to the abandoned shopping centre, and forgotten to check her surroundings. She'd sighted the building and stepped out into the streets, her mistake was marked by a deafening roar; the sudden realisation gripped her, looking to the source she saw three of those flaming hounds charging mindlessly toward her. Blaze's eyes widened, stumbling as she tried to run but she wasn't fast enough; one of the hounds knocked her to the ground, its burning head had struck her shoulder.

It would tear her apart if she didn't act, putting all her might behind it Blaze threw a punch for the creature's jaw but it merely cracked. Usually, a blow like that would have registered, the beast would have been stunned if not thrown from her, but with no food in her stomach, there was nothing behind her punches. She kicked wildly but between each blow it jaws drew closer to crushing her head. Her forced fast may have very well doomed her; she threw her hands up and caught the bottom of the beast's molten jaw, leaning into it she used the beast for leverage. Her back dragged along the ground, old wounds tearing open, and eventually found herself standing directly beneath the monster's mouth… only for its allies to round her flank.

Knowing she was surrounded, barely able to hold one of these monsters back, Blaze did the only thing she could think. The moment she heard one beast pounce Blaze released the hound's head and shot underneath its body, rolling out between its legs before digging her heels to still herself; turning she found the three in a pile… but they were quickly rising. She backed away further, trying to put some distance between herself and the creatures but if she didn't raid this shop then she'd have to find another source, that would mean a trek even deeper into the city; now injured as well as hungry.

She knew that she stood no chance against the other demons as she was; there was no choice but to use her curse. Blaze grasped the clasp of her mantle and began to shake; the young girl knew she wasn't calm and as such her flames would disobey her, this wasn't like cooking a meal; it would be a life or death struggle and she was terrified. The kitten took a deep breath and, pushing past her inhibitions, tore the cape free from her shoulders just as the monsters had fully risen.

The change was immediate; the crushing grip of fear forced reaching jets of fire from the marks between her shoulder blades, leaving her body and clothes untouched as they hissed and exploded, she dug in her heels as they tried to force her forward. Warmth began to flow across her body, like invisible tendrils intent on crawling along her every inch; it muffled the feeling of the world around her, no winds could break through, it was a vile and suffocating fever. As the heat swallowed her she forced those fiery torrents to recede and straightened her stance, taking control yet she could still feel the embers crackling on her spine. She knew she couldn't control the flames in her tired and scared state; this would be a battle on two fronts.

At the sight of her change the other demons had hesitated, the pack had split into three; rather than charge they slowly stalked toward her. Suddenly, without a movement or a word, the aura of heat was set alight; her body was completely engulfed. For a moment her senses were overwhelmed, blinded by a waving wall of orange and deafened by the crackling, but as her teeth grit and fists clenched she pushed them down; the sickening heat still engulfed her body but the flames were concentrated to her limbs. She couldn't see her hands, couldn't see her feet, from elbow to fingertip there was only fire… yet she knew her limbs were still there, she could move her fingers.

One of the beasts had taken this as an opening, lunged toward her with its jaws wide; she threw up her right forearm and the beast bit into it. The pain shot through her, she felt rocky teeth sink down to her bone; but that feeling triggered a response. Unable to maintain her focus through the pain the curse flared, pillars of flame tore through the hound's head and sent shards of molten rock flying in all directions; stunning the remaining pair into bounding backwards. None of this had been Blaze's intent, however, with the sudden pain she had lost her grip and once again the fire threatened to engulf her vision; she'd have to be quick or she'd lose herself.

Flames creeping up her shoulders Blaze forced herself forward; taking a step toward the nearest beast she threw her left hand forward and focused. The flames shifted as she commanded them, they ran along her body and emerged from her hand; sending a geyser of fire that engulfed the beast's entirety. But in releasing it the flames had fully left her body, the heat was beginning to creep from her back again but it wouldn't come fast enough; her eyes darted to the last beast as it pounced toward her, she threw herself to the ground and tumbled out of its way. It rounded quickly and began to slash down at her with its rocky claws, she continued to roll and slide; backing further and further away as the flames built. She had no idea how long this would take, she hated using this power, she was so scared and-

As these feeling engulfed her the flames were refuelled, three great fiery jets pushed from her back and tossed her body; on reflex, she threw a fist forward and with this additional momentum tore the monster's jagged face in two. Blaze met the ground with a tumbling crash, far from it's rapidly liquefying corpse. Her breathing was laboured, her body rang out and worst of all those flames had engulfed her once again. She couldn't see, hear or feel anything but the flames. Blaze tried to move, pushing her hands against the tarmac, only to feel it tear and melt away from her body; the flames were growing too intense! She had won one battle but was losing another! Blaze clasped her hands together and grit her teeth, closing her eyes as she tried to focus on quelling the flames… but she was too tired, she was hurt; pain ebbed from her right side and consistently interrupted her focus. Her arms formed a tight X over her chest, fingers dug into her shoulders; she took heaving breaths and tried to focus on anything but the pain. If only she'd been calm, if only things weren't so hard here; she'd have had no trouble maintaining this! But that thought only grew the fire further, she felt herself begin to sink.

It was unclear how long it took but, as the pain dulled and she regained control of her breathing, eventually the crackling stopped. When her eyes opened she found herself in a small crater of her own making, knelt within a bubbling pool of tar; if it weren't for this awful heat on her body it'd surely be hardening and clinging to her. She managed to stand, maintaining her breathing in an attempt to prevent herself from being overwhelmed and stepped out of the pit. She tried to ignore the crackling on her back, she had cried away the pain of her wounds but hunger still crushed her stomach and more monsters could appear at any moment.

Before removing the black sludge from her clothes, or even checking her wounded arm, she had one goal in mind; reacquiring her mantle so she could alleviate her discomfort. The battle hadn't moved her far; she turned to-

Blaze felt something strike the back of her head, something had flown from the shopping centre, immediately she fell to the ground; with this new pain she felt the mark on her back boil and spit embers. over it she heard a voice shout; "I've taken the demon's coat! Now she can't act like she's one of us!"

The child's breathing hitched, in the wake of that person's running she managed to rise but her legs were crumbling beneath her. With every step she could feel the heat engulf more and more of her body, the heat tried down her limbs and began to flay from her palms. She couldn't keep this up, she was boiling over, Blaze tried to call out; "Please I need-

But as she reached out to that person flames that were slipping from her fingertips began to chase the figure; a pillar of fire overwhelming fear had forced from her grasp! Her eyes closed, she smacked her own hand away; "Stop it! You'll kill them!" In response to her demand, the flames jumped back to her, vanishing from the air and engulfing her arm. That person just kept running, that person was escaping and taking her normality with them! She knew she shouldn't hurt them but try as she might her legs kicked up tar, she couldn't rise to give chase and even if she could she knew she'd end up burning them to a crisp. Just like the other demons.

Her back exploded into fire once more; her spine arched as she was thrown face first into the ground, fingers grit against melting stone; tears were reduced to steam as they left her eyes. Her cries were but a pittance to the tendrils of flame that lashed above her and the aura of flame that waged across her body. With each inhale she caught herself, the flame's advancement would stop, only for them to spread further upon her release; she was suffocating herself in an attempt to retain even the slightest control; earning momentary glimpses of the city around her but not the slightest hope of navigating it. The flames roared in her ears to the point that she soon couldn't hear that person's joyous cries, the layer of fire dulled her touch on the pavement and the scent of burning smothered all else. She tried to drag herself forward through the numbness but between the excessive force of the flaming jets and the ground liquefying beneath her Blaze couldn't have moved inches. She could only take her breaths, her view of the city growing briefer and briefer.

Something sounded over the flames she heard something land before her, perhaps another demon? She was surely being loud enough. There was another sound, a voice of some kind, so it was a person; could they even see her under all this? Were they-

Suddenly she heard a familiar sound, that phantom whirring; she went from sad to terrified, it was like she'd thought; now that he knew what he was he'd dispatch her like all the other demons. But rather than the end of her life she felt a sudden chill… all that heat, all that pressure, was blown off of her. Her eyes opened wide out of shock and sure enough there he was… her cape in one hand with the other outstretched; wisps of cyan light emanating from its symbol. She managed to push herself up to her knees, tar dripping from her fingertips and sliding down her knees.

"Wow!" He was clearly a little overwhelmed, Blaze assumed it was from the sight but surely the heat she'd spread through the area was having an effect, he shook his head and fought through it. "Are you okay!? That was a lot of fire, why aren't you burned? N-Not that it's bad you're not burned, it's just... usually on fire things get burned."

The rush of emotions Blaze was feeling; the joy at seeing her cloak again, the surprise that he had brought it to her and the fear that he would soon turn on her above all else; of course the mixture trigged another explosion. She could feel the heat beginning to bind her once again, before even thinking to answer she snatched the cloak from him… but as she reached out the emotions grew too strong; fire began to seep from her back and she braced but no sudden push came. So much of it had been spent, three long wisps of fire emerged through the back of her jacket; like three fingers rapping against her back. Blaze cast her gaze to the ground, the mantle being held between them. She breathed a defeated sigh, eyes closed tight, but strangely the mantle seemed to grow heavier in her hands… she heard him shift, leaning around her, what was-

"Are you doing that? Wait, so those flames were yours?" Her ears lowered, was it worth trying to run? She hadn't seen him use his power on a person before, perhaps he couldn't? But that was wishful thinking, and even if he couldn't there would be plenty of debris for him to throw. He pulled back to her face, surely looking to end-

She felt a weight on her shoulders, something shook her for a moment, and then she heard him shout; "That's amazing, I've never seen anything like it before! All of those flames were yours? I wouldn't have blown them away if I'd known!" Hands, there were hands on her shoulders; she hadn't felt the touch of another in so long, outside the beatings she'd endured. Having seen her produce flames, his immediate response had been to touch her, touch her softly no less? To lay his fingers mere inches from where those flames now flickered? How could he be like this? With this nonviolent touch she could feel that tugging sensation in her chest again, there was warmth spreading unlike that on her back; what was it? No, she had to ignore it; this was idiocy. How could he touch her after that? There had to be some kind of alternative motive, she couldn't give in to this kindness.

Blaze, fighting her shock, slowly looked to the angel; there was a wide smile on his face and an amazing light in those bright yellow eyes. Her breathing was stilted and panic was beginning to overtake her, there was no lie? This wasn't a trick? But the addition of her surprise at his kindness to the already bubbling concoction of emotions was growing the jets on her back; their prod rapidly becoming a push and that heat beginning to ebb down her back. That push snapped her from his eyes, certain that if she burned him then his kindness would vanish; she had to do something! Feeling her mantle in hand Blaze knocked his hands from her shoulders, quickly wrapping herself in the material.

The little girl her kept her eye on the little boy… his smile had shrunk but the light was very much still there. Was he waiting for her? Waiting for her to talk or do… something? Blaze opened her mouth to speak but, over the sound of crackling flames, her stomach unleashed a pitiful growl. His smile softened slightly at that, he leaned in but immediately she took two steps backwards. Somehow this didn't dissuade him from talking. "You're hungry right? That's why you're here? Lots of people have started coming here for-

She saw his eyes widen, hands extended to her but upon seeing her flinch pulled back slightly. His vision was flickering across her form. "Y-You're hurt too? Hurt and hungry? Your arm, your shoulder; do you want help? I can-

For once Blaze cut him off, shaking her head vigorously; she could feel the pain in her arm, a lump surely forming on the back of her head, but letting him get any closer in her weakened state… it went against everything she'd learned. When you were weak you hid, avoided people and demons alike… but it wasn't as though he was untouched. Besides that mark lingering on his face the tapestry of wounds had shifted on his body, she couldn't tell how many remained from last time but the number and locations were certainly different.

Blaze wanted to say something, emotions and questions were pounding harder than any injury, but her tongue felt heavy in her mouth. Every time she went to raise it went to speak to him, it was like it stuck to the top of her mouth. She cast her gaze back to his feet, clenching her fists and taking a deep breath. "W-W-Why d-did… h-how-w d-did …y-you." Blaze's vision lowered to his feet, she clenched her fists. No, this was far too much.

"How did I what?" She watched as he shuffled forward a bit, biting her lip she found the nerve to stand her ground but her arms crossed up to her shoulders again; lavishing in the protective feeling the mantle granted her.

He'd pushed for an answer and thus Blaze knew she'd have to give one, she couldn't just run this time; there was no door to slip out of, she'd end up exposing her back to him if she tried. He could change his mind, take back the mantle, or worse kill her. She was still starving; she surely couldn't outrun his flight let alone his grasp. There was no escaping this. "W-Why…H-How d-d-did y-you… get my c-cape back?" It wasn't the question she'd wanted to ask but it was a start.

"Someone took it from you so I took it back from them. They're an adult but they stole from a kid. They were calling you names, they should know better. I took it back and demanded they tell me where you were." There was something different in his voice now, the passion he'd used when talking about fixing the world was there but behind it was… something else. Was it anger? Regret? She couldn't tell the difference but she knew there was something different was there. "I'm glad I found you so quickly, I was scared I'd never get to give it back. I haven't seen you for so long, I thought maybe you'd left the city… o-or…"

He'd worried about her? How foolish, he should have been wholly focused on his own survival; not caring about some stranger he'd met once. Her eyes were still locked on his feet, knowing how he'd done it and that he claimed to care so much she felt the need to ask her real question. It wasn't like she could run away anyway. "B-B-But why give it back to me after s-seeing th-the flames? W-Why are you b-being nice to me?"

"Huh? I mean…" He paused for a moment; she heard the sound of his fingers ruffling at his chest fur. "Why wouldn't I be nice to you? We're the same age and we both have powers! What's wrong with you making flames? You've seen my psychic stuff, it's not like it's any different; we've both got something special! I'm really glad you're my friend!" Her gaze shot to meet his, she hadn't agreed to that! She hadn't answered when he'd asked; she'd run away instead! How could he-

"W-Well… y-you never we w-weren't friends." A redness was on his face, that expression she still didn't understand; evidently, he'd read her shock and felt he had to give a response. How could he be like this though? How could he compare his power, something so otherworldly and angelic, to her own; visible in the demons that stalked the streets? She didn't believe what he'd said for a second, these powers were not the same; there was no equivalency between her curse and his gift. Her thoughts were interrupted yet again; "Y-You're my friend… right?"

Blaze slowly released her shoulders, hands coming together to clasp around her wrist. She didn't trust him, no matter how she tried to rationalise it she still couldn't; people betrayed one another all the time, this whole thing could be some ploy set up by the one who'd run away with her cape. Some ruse to give her hope and then dash it. But at the same time…

She nodded, "I-I a-am… I-If y-you're certain y-you want to be my friend?" That feeling in her chest, that weightless heat that seemed to tug her in his direction, was it some kind of power he had? Why did, despite all of her training and all that she'd learned, she want to be near him? Why did she want to be his friend, why did he want to be hers? She just couldn't understand, it was stupid; wanting a friend in a place like this, a friend she thought would turn on her no less.

But his response almost made the foolishness seem worth it. He smiled so widely it looked like his face might tear in two; it was only now that Blaze noticed his cheek was still a little bruised all these months later. "I really really do!" His hands raised high in the air as if to emphasise the scale, "I-I don't know a-about you but I've never had a friend before. S-So when we met a-and you said you were the same age as me and looked so scared, I decided I wanted to be y-your friend! I'm going to keep you safe, I'm going to get big and strong for you! The fire stuff is all just a bonus! I'm so glad to have a-

Quite suddenly Silver pulled back from his over-exaggerated pose, placing his right arm over his eyes to obscure them while the left hung at his side. He was still smiling but it was… strange to say the least, he was shaking a little. "I-I'm just r-really happy. Really really happy!" He had shouted those words much louder than the previous ones. His body became cloaked in cyan colour, at the sound of the whirring her eyes widened and she jumped a step back, only to find nothing moved. The colour wasn't anywhere else in their environment. He had just… coated himself? Why? He wasn't even hovering. While most of his body remained clear, outlined in the colour, reading his face had become incredibly difficult. It was far too suspicious but Blaze didn't feel like she could ask about it, she'd admitted that she wanted to be his friend but the young feline still had many barriers in place.

She couldn't let this go too far regardless; the feline held up a finger to him and in an instant recaptured his attention. It was rather amusing how his quills bobbed as he leaned in, she imagined he was still grinning like a fool… she supposed they were both fools now. He'd had her standing here, in the middle of a city street and completely exposed, for minutes; she hadn't even noticed until now. Surely it was also due to her disorientation but She wanted to straighten things out. "I-I still d-don't trust you though. I-If we b-bump into each other th-that's fine but we need to go out separate ways. I-I can't trust you yet Silver."

It was difficult to tell through the psychic screen but his ears and drooped and his posture had slouched; "Y-You can't trust me? But why? I thought now…" He quickly shook it stuttering off but there was still some pain in his voice, at least before he started shouting. "No that's alright. You're my friend so you will one day! I'll keep getting more powerful and protect you, show you I'm trustable! Save you from bullies and monsters and-

Upon saying the words monsters, smile building and growing louder again, his vision seemed to snap passed her, Blaze's ears pricked but she heard no sound besides the now more subdued whir of his power. "Did you do all this?" He walked passed her, following him with her gaze she found he was looking at the remains of the hounds she'd killed, little more than puddles of lava and rocks now. "Th-That's why you're hurt, you… wow. They're made of fire though, how did…" His back was almost to her, the energy veil faded; he was smiling but… there was something weird at his eyes. A small redness? Dampness?

"You just keep getting better! That's amazing! You must be really really strong right? I mean, you did this much when you were hungry; I-I don't know if your powers work like mine but when I'm hungry or tired they don't work so well." His hands were raised again and his eyes had closed, "Don't worry though, I'm tough too! Not strong enough yet but one day I'll fix this world so you don't have to fight like this, but it's really good that you can for now!" While he was no longer coated in that light it seemed to be leaking from his palms as he gesticulated, "We'll see the blue sky together, a-and visit the sea and all sorts! It'll be brilliant when I fix it all!" Speaking with such confidence, absolute certainties, the more he shouted about it… the more she wanted to believe him.

The angel's gaze hadn't returned to her, if there was a chance to slip away without turning her back it was now. Throwing a glance toward the shopping centre she nothing in the way, it looked to be as desolate as it'd always been… perhaps the person who'd stolen her cloak had been in there, but surely other people would have left by now. Blaze took a few steps backwards before pausing, he was still shouting; mustering her will she cut him off. "I-I need to go now, go and get food." As he looked back to her she hesitated, stopping her back-facing advance. "S-Stay s-safe Silver, I know I said I can't t-trust you now but…" She managed to close her eyes, her fists clenched; "I really want to see you again soon." She could feel herself relaxing, slipping into a state she wouldn't regard as comfort but perhaps the closest thing to it the poor girl could feel. Her stomach was still churning, her wounds still throbbed, but in his light and through his shouting she felt like someday that might all stop. That this angel was going to fix this world, just like he kept shouting. Was it foolish to think? Undoubtedly, but it was foolishness she could find hope in.

"I want to see you again too! You can come to the library any time; even if I'm not there I'll come back eventually! I'll probably just be out training." Despite her mistrust… he trusted her to enter his territory, alone no less? Whenever she wanted? That was a step more idiotic than anything prior, she could easily steal from him… but then… she had no reason nor want to steal from him. Did that make her the foolish one? Normal people would jump on this opportunity surely.

She took a deep breath; beginning to walk backwards once again. By the arch of his brow, she could tell her choice not to turn around was confusing him. "When I trust you I'll turn my back to you, but right now I can't. I can't show that weakness." Blaze's tongue was feeling lighter by the word, she was certain she hadn't stuttered once there; it felt incredible.

"Oh." His eyes widened a bit, his smile softened. "Alright, I trust you though so I'll turn around." He did it without hesitation, exposing his long back quills to her. Her step hitched a moment in shock but, to be honest, Blaze was beginning to expect this from him. Despite his efforts Blaze would continue to reverse in a skittish manner, rather than walk facing him she'd walk side on; taking a step with her right foot before dragging the left to reach it, occasionally glancing to the shopping centre to confirm no one else was inside. She could hear nor see any movement.

As she reached the shattered doors she turned her back to the shop once more, he was still standing there; just looking out at the city. How long would he wait? She was tempted to see but a thought, or perhaps a want, was burning away at her. She wanted to tell him just one last thing before she left. "Silver! Turn around!" She'd found the courage to shout and it was rewarded, he spun on his heel; even so far away she could tell his eyes were shining and the smile was clear on his face. She crossed her hands over her shoulders, she could still feel the weight of his hands atop them. He had successfully touched her, even if she'd avoided it later; he'd reached her and that gave her confidence. She knew she wanted to say this; she felt she had to admit it, this would be her first step. Her eyes clamped shut as she shouted; "My name is Blaze!"

And with that she vanished into the depths of the shopping centre, taking that last step back before pinning herself against the inner wall; breathing heavily. She had done it, not only had he seen her powers but now he knew she was named for them. More importantly she'd fully undone the lie she'd told him and made it as clear as she could that his choice to trust her wasn't as foolish as she thought it. From outside she heard him shout; "That's a good name! I'll see you soon Blaze!"

He was surely still stood in the middle of the city, grinning like a fool. So naively… perhaps that was the word for it. Not a fool, not an idiot, he was just… naïve.


	5. Won't Need to Know

Blaze was rummaging her way through the supermarket's remaining preserved goods, determining which housed safely edible contents. She'd returned to this store often enough to know that she wasn't its only customer, food must have been getting particularly scarce if even the regular people were risking this trek. But if the food was running out it wasn't as though they had any other option, the lava moat that surrounded this city was completely impassable; miles wide with great plumes of fire lurching from its depths. Even if there were other towns and cities with food there was no way anyone could reach them. Well, almost anyone. Holding a jar above herself she attempted to identify the contents, utilising a hole in the ceiling and allowing the firelight to shine through, but was quickly lost to her thoughts.

Following her third encounter with the angel Blaze had become far less skittish about entering the city's depths; her verbal pact with him and the continued sincerity of his words and actions had gone a long way to assure her that he wasn't to be feared. But of course, knowing something shouldn't be feared and not fearing it are two very different things. Whenever she thought she'd heard those psychic gusts or his voice on the flaming wind she'd seek it out but linger in the shadows. She wanted to approach him rather than be approached by him, to have a degree of control over their interactions she felt she was sorely lacking. He'd had an opportunity to harm her before and while he hadn't taken it but cloak had been off; perhaps he'd feared her curse would turn him to ash before he could strike. He clearly wasn't invulnerable, garbed in an ever-shifting plaid of cuts, bruises and burns. Perhaps he did fear those flames in the same way so many others rightly did. Was he lying? Many people lied in this city; it made it easier to survive, to turn on those who claim to trust you meant they couldn't turn on you.

Yet the more she thought these awful things the more foolish they seemed. If he was going to turn on her, to attack and kill her, wouldn't it have been much easier to stay in the rafters of that library? He'd returned her cloak to her, claiming that adults shouldn't steal from kids. It didn't seem like he saw her as a demon but as a child… but then… he was a child too? He seemed to care a lot about the ways they matched, how their heights were similar and even going so far as to compare their frankly incomparable powers; hers were clearly more destructive, incapable of any good, while he could carry books and float safely away from danger. When she thought back on how he wanted to keep her safe and get stronger for her why did that tugging feeling return to her chest? A warmth without heat that radiated through her. It stunned her but at the same time made her feel… comfortable. To feel comfortable here in the pits of hell; where demons filled the skies and streets, perhaps that was foolishness… but then was there such a thing as a good foolishness? Naiveté maybe. The naïve way he'd turned his back on her without hesitation, lowering his guard and deciding that she wasn't a threat just because they shared an estimated age. The naïve way he'd turned around when she admitted she didn't trust him, both saying and showing he fully trusted her. So many of his actions were pushing her to draw closer, the last time they met she'd admitted she wanted to meet him again, but fear kept pulling her back.

When she had last followed the sound and that cyan glow why hadn't she been able to approach him? Blaze had seen him no fewer than four times over the past two weeks, training as he had been when he'd first saw her, yet not once had she mustered the initiative to approach him. She'd stay in the shadows or hide behind a wall or even simply remain afar as he flew across the sky, never calling out and never drawing closer once she'd sighted him. She called him friend yet she hid from him, dared not approach him out of fears founded in other people. Then what was the point in even calling him friend? If she wasn't his friend then what was she? A friend in name only? Did she call him friend in the hopes it shielded her from some wrath he'd bent over backwards to hide? Was she really so afraid that no one in this city could care for her that she was willing to push away someone who plainly did?

As her stomach growled she finally caught herself; refocusing upon her search for food. Symptomatic of this tugging feeling in her chest was becoming lost in her thoughts, it was happening much too often. Survival was all that mattered, she had to make it through this day and onto the next then grasp each day that followed, perhaps on one of them she'd find the nerve to approach him or he'd find her again. That's all there was to it. The feline shook the jar above her, judging by the foodstuff's size and cylindrical shape they looked to be pickled gherkins though the label was long faded. Bringing it down before her she ran her hand across its metal lid, it did buckle a little beneath her touch so she knew to be cautious but as she tilted the glass she watched the pickled goods shift; suggesting the vinegar was still mostly liquid and thus hopefully the contents were well preserved.

Blaze tucked the gherkins inside her drawstring sack, clinking it to fit with the other cans and jars. Six containers, she'd be returning within five days then. She couldn't carry any more than this while maintaining her agility and hiding capabilities; a hefty bag was a loud bag, even at this full if she stumbled the sound would undoubtedly reach someone or something's ears. She pulled the bag closed, tightly knotting it before hoisting it over her shoulder. The kitten took a few paces to confirm the weight was to her liking before lightly jumping to confirm the rattle wasn't especially clangorous. It wasn't silent, it wasn't light either, but she could handle it.

Stalking her way back toward the shop's entrance she kept her ears open, pinning herself against the outer wall lest a person or a monster linger in the entrance. Casting a glance through the broken doors she found the streets barren, the sound of flames filled Blaze's ears as she entered the open air. Sharp amber eyes continued to scrutinise the surrounding city, looking for any off detail or sign of movement, yet all her eyes caught was the waving flames and the way hot air slipped from the magma; changing the shape of whatever lay behind it. Darting across the street, into the opposing alleyway, she pushed herself against a shadowed wall and began to rush through the winding streets. She controlled each of her footfalls; if they were inaudible to her beneath the flames then no one stood a chance at hearing them, of course not every step was but the fewer that were the better her chances of safe passage.

From backstreet to backstreet, using defunct buildings for cover and tossing rocks to make diversions when demons littered the road before her Blaze gradually walked back to her abode. As she rounded the last corners she could feel her stomach complaining but as she scanned that final street her hobble was in sight; the destroyed bakery she'd held out in for a few months. But upon sighting it her heart sank, she was forced to linger in the final alleyway. People were in her home, or the closest thing she could call to a home. One of them stood outside with a metal rod of sorts in hand while others within shouted to them, she could hear them going through her belongings… well, they weren't her belongings anymore. It wasn't as though she'd had much anyway. Her arms crossed as she gripped her shoulders, bag dropping to the ground behind her.

Could she just wait for them to leave? No, they'd come back, wouldn't they? This wasn't some random search, was it? Could it be? No, it was foolish to think it was; she was grasping at excuses to stay when there were none. Her only option was to flee an establish a hobble elsewhere, it wasn't as though there was a lack of buildings but finding somewhere secure and comfortable always proved difficult. Just where would she go next? Toward the city's outer rim, with so many people moving inward perhaps it was safer… but ultimately it meant a further journey for food; more chance of getting caught in the open in exchange for a more isolated home. She could move into the city's depths, where supplies weren't abundant but they were far more accessible, but the demons were far larger there; taking forms she'd rarely seen elsewhere, gigantic worms and headless torsos. Creatures she'd never dared to fight, only hid from, she assumed she wasn't strong enough to defeat them; even with her mantle removed they were just so big. As tall as buildings, small only when compared to the one that'd destroyed her family and home.

Thinking about not being powerful enough conjured an image of the angel in her mind. His drive to become stronger rang in her head, Silver was in those depths. His library was still the deepest she'd ever journeyed; beyond the shopping centre by half an hour if she was stealthy and a few minutes if she'd ran… well, her understanding of time was all based upon estimations. Would living near him offer some kind of protection, would she be able to settle? The angel's words sounded in her head, that adults weren't meant to steal from children; if he was nearby the next time they invaded her home then what would happen? There was that feeling again; the warmth flowing through her chest was purging her defeatist thoughts, her hands lowered from her shoulders. She remembered how he'd taken her cape back; had he attacked the person who'd stolen it? He could throw cars, rain down rubble; he displayed strength with his powers in a way she refused to. Was he willing to use it on people? For her it'd been a forbidden last step to becoming a demon, but with his less brutal power ma-

Something struck the back of Blaze's head; she stumbled from the shadows and into the open street. Her vision blurred from the shock but as she looked back down the alleyway the kitten caught sight of a person, on the ground where she'd stood a chunk of brick comparable to a fist. Touching the back of her head she found the spot raw but she didn't have time to dwell on the pain, stumbling out of the way as another stone flew toward her.

"What are you doing here!?" Blaze's eyes dropped to the man's feet, garbed in brown boots that were deeply charred and torn. "This is where we stay, demons like you have no place here! We're resettling! Stop trying to hide beneath the guise of a little girl; we know what you really are. Why haven't you died yet? Why can't you just leave us and die!"

More shouting came from her right, the ones raiding her house had noticed, there'd been no choice before but now she truly had to run. There would be no hiding and no evasion she had to get as far from here as possible, delve deep into the heart of this hell where they wouldn't dare go; where a demon like her belonged.

She began to sprint down the street, away from the voices, the sack she'd worked so hard to fill now abandoned behind her. Blaze undoubtedly knew his street better than the people, after all, she'd lived here relatively untouched for months now; they must have been new to this zone. The shouting had started, those insults were being hurled and alongside them bricks and broken glass; she could hear the lobbed weapons falling short and watched as a rock flew ahead of her only to roll and shatter against the hot tarmac. She didn't dare to look back, relying on her ears to confirm that they were following; their jeers and shouts sounded well over the flames, any demons ahead would undoubtedly hear them. She threw herself down an alleyway, opting to take a path of greater resistance an attempt to dissuade them.

She leapt over veins of lava, bounded across the roofs of dishevelled cars and clawed her way up precipices cracked open by earthquakes. The kitten hesitated, ears flickering, their shouts were faint but surely growing louder. She had to keep pushing deeper into the city's heart. Her stomach was empty; the world was beginning to blur as she pushed herself to the absolute limits. Catching sight of demons ahead Blaze knew she couldn't risk fighting them; she threw herself down an alleyway and continued to run. Behind her the sounds of monsters overtook that of people; heavy padding echoed as at least two of the beasts followed her, but that worried her less than what she heard ahead. There were more voices, not the roars of flames and creatures, but the shouts of people.

Exiting the alleyway, monsters hot on her heels, Blaze found herself face to face with a sight she'd never seen. People, at least fifteen of them, some wielding chunks of metal and charred wood as clubs; gathered around the base of a disfigured church. Some were working on the outside, taking hunks of metal from old cars and hammering to fit holes in the building's brickwork, but with the roar of a monster behind Blaze, all eyes were upon her. Those with weapons stepped forward, ahead of the craftsmen and children, and in response Blaze ran. She heard some clash with beasts but behind her footfalls continued, the feline scanned the road ahead and found she was nearing the library. What was she supposed to do? What did she want to do? Where-

Her face grazed against the ground, something heavy had struck her in the back and thrown her to the ground. Pushing herself up she found her vision had blurred once again and her ears were ringing. Continuing to run pain ebbed from her spine, surely there was a wound running down her back; she had to find shelter soon, she couldn't keep pushing herself like this. Would going to Silver only make things worse? What if he sided with th-

No! She had to smash through this wall of fear, she had no reason to fear him; the ones chasing her didn't dictate who or how she trusted. She decided that; no one else got to decide that! Even if she couldn't yet she wanted to, she had to take this first step! Blaze kept forcing herself forward, insults and rocks were thrown and while many made contact none struck her heart. Her body was beginning to wear out; she could feel herself sway more with each step, the blurred world was beginning to spin. But up ahead she could hear something; there was a familiar sound, the very sound she'd been seeking.

She threw her eyes from the pavement to the sky, stumbling over her own feet. A frame cloaked in that unmistakable colour hung in the midst of a maelstrom of tinted rubble, the latter of which came tumbling to the ground while the former shot toward her. Blaze slid to a halt as he descended but as the cyan hue faded from him she wasn't met with the usual wide-eyed and surprised smile, rather his brow was creased and a frown did not stretch but merely lined his face. It wasn't aimed at her; he wasn't even looking at her. His bright yellow eyes were glaring at the people. While it no longer wrapped his form the cyan light was still flaring from his hands.

The angel began to shout but it wasn't quite the happy, excited, shouting he'd done before; "Stop it! What are you doing? Why are you chasing my friend?!" He'd stepped passed her, toward them, what was he going to do? "You should be-

A rock struck his cheek, he stumbled backwards but went to shout again only for a metal bar to fly at his forehead and knock him to the ground. Those people were still running towards the children. Blaze, frozen in shock, caught his eyes for a moment as he met with the ground. Surprise and pain had filled his eyes but, despite that being all she could read, there was something else in them too. His body rewrapped in cyan, the harsh light made it difficult to follow his eyes let alone the wounds he had surely sustained. He was floating, around a foot from the ground, unsure where else to look Blaze kept her eyes on his back.

He began to speak again, "You should be helping her; people should help each other. Even if I fix this world if you keep fighting you'll just destroy it all again, you can't-

But they continued to run forward, Blaze didn't dare look but she could hear three different voices and the pounding of their footsteps. What surprised her most was that their words weren't directed toward her nor toward him, rather they talked about the devils, the monsters… using plurals. Did they really see them the same way? But her curse made her the same as the monsters that roamed the streets, his power seemed to be from a completely different world; how could-

His hand was thrown forward; Blaze followed it only to watch as all three men were sent flying back; landing on their backs first before tumbling heel over head across the asphalt. The angel brought his hands back to his sides; "Don't come any closer! I don't want to do this but I will if you keep-

Silver cut himself off. He thrust his hand forward again, a pipe had halted just outside his touch. Looking past him for a moment Blaze saw one of the men had risen, they'd thrown their weapon at him… no, at them. It wasn't in the same way as Silver did but these people clearly saw he and her as the same, even if she saw him as near enough her polar opposite. The angel responded to their attack, he balled his fist and pulled it back to his chest before gesturing toward the trio. The pipe flew at the assailant, knocking him back to the ground and sending him tumbling further away. This time there'd been a clear spray of blood as he fell, painting his person and the ground alike. How far would he end up going?

"Stop it! I'm trying to help you, why won't you let me help?! I-I'm trying to make things better!" Something had changed in his voice, what was the emotion she'd failed to recognise? It was there in his voice, undoubtedly, something she'd missed or couldn't quite place. "Why… do you keep hurting m-my friend, w-why are you all so mean?" He was stuttering? But this wasn't like when she'd said she was his friend; these pauses were longer and less fevered. "I just…I don't understand, stop hurting Blaze. Don't steal her cape… why do you call her names? She's my friend." Confusion. That was it, that's what she'd missed. He didn't understand why they were afraid of her, no, why these people were afraid of them. "Blaze the cat is my friend! She's just scared, this world is scary enough and you're scaring her more!" Looking to them she watched as the front two scrambled to their feet, eyes flickering between Silver and their fallen companion.

Blaze knew she had to speak; otherwise, he might do something he'd regret. She balled her fists and called out to him. "Th-They're scared t-too Silver. Th-That's w-why they keep attacking me, th-they're scared of my curse. It-

"Curse? W-What curse?" He'd turned to her and cut her off. His face difficult to read in the light but through it she watched the realisation dawn upon him. "That's not a curse, how many times do I have to say that! Why would-

"It's because it's like those flames! I can't see the difference so why would they?!" Blaze's hands were back upon her shoulders, "E-E-Even if you d-d-don't the world d-does. Th-They're sc-scared o-o-of the flame so th-they're sca-scared of me. You're the only one who's not!"

Silver turned and Blaze followed only to find the people were running away, shouting their final insults as the wounded was carried between his allies. The white hedgehog dropped to the ground, the colour had completely faded from him. She could only compare the look on his face to two brief moments; when she'd tried to sneak away in the library and the briefest moment when she'd admitted she didn't trust him. His ears were bent, posture slouched and much of the brightness had faded from his eyes. "But… I don't get it. They're not the same, why can't they see… why can't you see the difference? I don't get it."

"I-I m-might n-n-n-not but…" She closed her eyes, steeling herself. "I-I don't think you know how glad I am that you do Silver."

When she opened her eyes his smile had returned, it wasn't full to the point of stretching his face but the brightness had certainly returned to his eyes; "Well… I guess I'll just have to show everyone it's not the same. You especially, I'll show you that you can do good things with your power! I'll get stronger, fix this world, and then you'll see the good our powers can do! I want to help you most of all after all!" By the time he'd finished shouting the smile had fully returned, his ears were upright and quills bouncing as he gestured in his over the top manner. Pointing to her, himself, the sky and all around.

She could feel a smile beginning to form as he continued to make promises. "If people chase you or steal from you just come it me, I'll get rid of them! Y-You could live nearby if you like, they haven't messed with me for a while… but that's probably because I'm so deep in here. Maybe they're scared of me too but that'd be weird; I'm not even strong yet! Maybe I'll get less scary as I get tougher." He brought his fist down into his open palm; "Ah that'd make sense! If I'm big and strong they'll know they can rely on me! I'll become super reliable, just you wait and see!"

It really didn't make any sense; he was already the strongest person she'd seen by a wide margin. She'd seen him throw cars and topple people without even touching them, how could he think he was weak? Regardless it wasn't that she'd focused on, rather that he'd talked about her living nearby. She had no home to return to and he'd just chosen her safety over their fear of him, could she-

He derailed her train of thought, continuing to happily ramble; "Alright! I'm going to train even harder now, thank you Blaze; that's yet another reason to get stronger! I'll master this psychokinesis, throw trucks and buildings like it's nothing, then I'll take down even the biggest of those monsters! Who knows what else I'll be able to do… maybe if you see me get better with my power you'll be more comfortable with yours?"

"M-Maybe, b-but S-Silver…" She closed her eyes and grit her teeth for a moment, she wanted to say this clearly. Looking at him she saw the smile had gentled, he was holding still and awaiting her words. Did he have to be so close though? "Do you think…" Blaze took in one last deep breath, clenching her fists her eyes locked to his ragged boots. She shouted it; "Can I stay with you?!"

Immediately she felt his hands upon her shoulders, catching his eyes she found them wide and his smile was positively breaking his face. "Of course you can! I-I really wanted you to from the start, now I know even more… y-yes! Yes!" He gasped, "D-D-Does this mean you trust me now? Are we friends… a-and you trust me?!"

Blaze could feel her own smile growing, undoubtedly it was nowhere near as large as his but feeling it there… that warmth was flowing across her whole body now. It was embarrassing; did he have to hold her like this? The kitten broke eye contact, eyes happening to fall upon the library. "No, tr-trust will take t-time to form. I'm… I'm still scared." Scared of being with people, that deep sunken fear that he'd end up like them. Even if he'd shown he was different. Maybe one day she'd come to trust him, she hoped she would.

He didn't seem to understand that though. "Scared? Scared of what?" He'd rounded her, hands still on her shoulders, and leaned into her vision. His smile was faltering beneath concern. "I'll beat it up, whatever's scaring you! If I can't now then I'll get strong enough to do it!"

She turned the other way; she felt her smile had almost doubled. "It's not something y-y-you can de-defeat at least… not by fighting." Unsure what else to say she shook her head. "You're… You're so naïve."

At that he pulled away, hands leaving her shoulders. She turned to him, a little puzzled only to find he was looking to the ground, scratching at his quills with a furrowed brow and small pout. "O-Oh yeah? I'm so naive? W-W-Well, you're… you're so... you're my friend!"

That made no sense. Blaze kept staring at him as he looked away; that bizarre pinkness had spread across his muzzle again. Almost immediately she understood. "You… d-don't know what naïve means, do you?" He refused to look her in the eye, turning from the ground to the library and feverishly pulling at his chest fur.

His eyes returned to her finally but his confidence was clearly wavering, what was that hue on his face… embarrassment? "Y-Yeah, s-so what if I don't! That's what you can do then! If you're here then I won't need to know what naïve, or whatever, means; right? Y-Y-You can just know that and b-b-be with me, then it's like I know! S-Seeing as you're staying now that'd work." There was something in her throat; she was making a sound… a sound she didn't really understand? As she made it her smile was widening, her body was shaking but not out of fear. Laughter? Was that what this sound was called? "As long as I've got you, I-I won't need to know!"

She managed to finally push the laughter aside, her eyes reopened and she looked to him. This was almost the control she'd wanted over their conversations, seeing him embarrassed made it feel as though the field had been levelled. "It means you show a lack of experience, thus not knowing what naïve means is in a way naïve, thinking you can just beat up all of ou-our problems is too. It also means y-y-you're v-very innocent. It's like th-this world hasn't hurt you in the same way it has other people."

He quickly pointed to the mark where his forehead had been hit, it was rather bloody and there'd clearly be a bruise there. "What're you talking about? I got hurt just now, j-just like you've got blood on your shoulders. A-Are you okay?"

Confused by that the kitten reached to touch her mantle, finding it wet she traced it back to touch the back of her head; where that first blow had landed. She was hurt but, despite that, she could feel laughter beginning to spike within her once again as he failed to understand. This laughter she felt, she'd only read about it… or perhaps she'd done it as a child. Well... she still was a child. Regardless it felt like a distant memory was being rekindled... unbelievably good. "P-Please Silver, jus-just go inside s-so I can follow. D-Do you have bandages in th-

Suddenly something Blaze had been neglecting reared its head. From her chest came a noise, a deep whine that grumbled above the flames. Immediately she crossed her hands over her shoulders, looking to his boots. She couldn't show weakness! She had to be tough, she was still a demon; even if he refused to see her as one.

His shadow shifted as he leaned in again, "Are you hung-

"N-No, l-l-let's j-just g-g-go inside! We-We've been talking t-too loudly, someone or s-s-something will have heard!"


End file.
